


Frostnipped

by BrushDog



Category: DRAMAtical Murder - All Media Types
Genre: Blow Jobs, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-06
Updated: 2015-05-06
Packaged: 2018-03-29 06:40:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,944
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3886195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BrushDog/pseuds/BrushDog
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the wake of a snowstorm, Sei sets out to explore the wintery woods around Mink's cabin and Mink helps him to warm up afterwards.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Frostnipped

**Author's Note:**

> Written during a bout of nostalgia for the Minnesota winters of my youth, posted for DMMD Rarepair week on Mink day!
> 
> [Harukami](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Harukami/pseuds/Harukami) has graciously beta'd.

Sei curled up slowly in the cold of the morning under a thick warm down comforter, pulled from the corners of the bed to make a fine and secure little nest within its center. In this tiny space alone, he was surrounded in his own warmth, a security that was completely of his making, something that could bring him comfort unlike anything else. The world was silent outside. He couldn't hear the birds singing through the windows, the sound of leaves rustling in the breeze, or the creaks of branches, long frozen, sliding in the cold winter wind that whipped around the cabin. Instead, that morning, he found the world blanketed in a stillness, a quiet that he had never known until he came here.

He wondered at it from under the blanket, in awe for a brief moment at how very little he could feel, how little he could hear. The cabin was far enough away from the nearest neighboring city that even the usual buzz of wireless signals crisscrossing the sky that once was his lullaby and only companion within the confines of his previous life, his prison, were gone now. In this place, there was only a small and quiet hum of Huracan's tenuous connection to a satellite signal, nothing more. If he wanted to, he could ride that signal as well, escape to the realm of data that existed on servers housed thousand of miles away, but that would stretch his mind so far from his body that he would worry that the connection could snap and he would begin to lose small pieces of himself again, bit by bit, slipping away like grains of sand through an hourglass. So instead he closed his eyes, taking in the silence and the darkness that surround him.

The silence, however, didn't last for long. Now that he was more fully awake, he could hear the sounds of the cabin coming to life around him. There was the quiet breeze of the heat from the stove moving through the pipes and the vents in the rooms. The wood creaked, settling with the change in temperature. The house was sighing in its own way at the state they were in, such a long and drawn out winter.

Quieter still, was the sound of someone moving in the kitchen. Sei could barely hear it from where he was in his room, blanket drawn over his head and door closed, but the sound was distinct. Cabinets quietly opening and closing, pots and pans moved with care to make sure that they didn't create much noise with their motion.

Mink must think that he was still fast asleep, Sei thought to himself. The older man was always careful not to wake him unless it was necessary. Though his body was hardly as frail and weak as it once had been, he had found through their time living together that Mink was almost obsessively conscious of the potential for Sei to accidentally strain himself or push his physical limits too far. It wasn't something that Sei knew through his words, but rather through his actions. When the winter's first snow had shown up in the forecast, Mink had come home one day with his bike's pack carrying a bundle from one of the stores in town. After they had dinner together that night, he handed it to Sei with little ceremony other than telling him that everything inside was his now. Sei thanked him, grateful, and stored it away in his room.

When Sei had time to himself later to check the contents of the bag, he'd found a set of practical winter clothes: thermal underwear to keep him warm at night, slippers for around the house, a new, more suitable jacket, as well as heavy boots, thick sheepskin mittens, a scarf and hat. Mink knew how harsh the winters could be here, and he knew that Sei had never seen anything like them. He wanted Sei to stay warm.

Facing the cold of the morning, Sei understood that wish more than ever. Even when his toes peeked out from beneath the comforter just a little he could feel the brush of chilled air against them. It was enough to make him shiver. When he felt that he could brave the cold enough to peek out from under the blanket's edge, he could see that there was frost gathered on the window to his room, a dazzlingly bright white light pouring through it. He had to blink several times before his eyes could adjust, but even then it wasn't until he squinted that he could make out the clear blue sky that lay beyond. The sun was already climbing in the sky, its light reflecting off the freshly fallen snow to light the world with a brilliant, chilly, radiance.

It was beautiful, in a haunting way. Dangerous as it was pristine. He was sure that the air must be biting outside, especially given how chilled the inside of the cabin was. Slowly, he drew himself up into a crouch, pulling the blankets wrapped tight around him down from over his head and around his shoulders. He wondered what it was like out there. Was the air still? Was it crisp? The flutter of wings from the doorway interrupted his thoughts. He turned slightly, just in time to feel a familiar weight settle on his shoulder.

"It seems that you're awake now," the AllMate's deep voice rang out with the dry observation.

Sei smiled, reaching up to stroke his fingers over the artificial feathers. "Good morning, Huracan."

"Good morning, Sei." Huracan's head bobbed, his chest leaning into the touch. His personality setting wasn't one that had parameters configured for the desire for physical contact, but it was something that Sei found comforting, and he imagined that the traces of the network that had once been his extended consciousness left the AllMate with a desire to indulge him.

"Mink sent me to observe your current state," the bird continued on, nonchalant. "Shall I tell him that you're awake?"

"Ah, you don't need to. I can tell him myself," Sei said. He stretched his legs out from under himself, shivering with the chill that ran against his skin.

"Very well," Huracan agreed, fluttering from his shoulder to the bedside table as Sei pulled the blankets from his shoulders with another shiver. "It seems that his preparations for breakfast are nearly complete."

"I thought it sounded like that," Sei replied, quickly pushing his feet into the slippers that sat on the floor near his bed. They were still stone cold, but he knew they'd warm faster than the wooden floors beneath them. "Huracan," he asked, pushing himself up off the bed, "It's warmer in the kitchen, isn't it?"

"It is," Huracan said, "The temperature is approximately five degrees warmer in the living room and kitchen areas."

"Ah, it's good to hear that."

Sei could feel the difference as he made his way down the hallway to the main rooms of the cabin. Huracan settled back on his shoulder, enjoying the familiar proximity as the sound of Mink's movement in the kitchen grew louder.

As Sei rounded the corner, a wave of warmth and the sweet aroma of honey, berries, and pancakes filled the air. He closed his eyes, taking a breath as he let it sink in slowly, banishing the chill from his bedroom and the hallway. When he opened his eyes, he could see Mink's broad back before him as the other man stood intently watching a griddle that he'd set over the burners of their small stove. Sei could tell from the line of his shoulders that Mink hadn't noticed his entry yet.

Quietly, with slippered feet moving softly against the floor, he stepped forward until he could touch both hands to the small of the other man's back, his forehead pressed to his spine, and breathe in the scent of cinnamon and the warmth of Mink's skin under the thick sweater he wore.

Mink's back rumbled under his hands, an acknowledgement. Sei smiled.

"Good morning, Mink."

"You're awake now," Mink said. "Did you sleep well?"

"I didn't have any troubles. Although it was a little cold this morning."

"Mhm," Mink acknowledged with a short sound. "It's going to be colder for the next few days, now that the snow has stopped. If it's a problem, you can sleep on the couch."

"I could sleep in your bed as well, couldn't I?" Sei asked, turning to look up at what he could see of Mink's profile, watching for the telltale flush at the tips of his ears.

Mink sighed. "My room isn't that much warmer than yours."

"That's true. We'll see," Sei hummed softly, satisfied and much warmer now. He dropped his hands from Mink's back, turning to the cupboard where they kept their dishes and silverware.

There was a soft sound behind him, another sigh, then the hiss of the griddle as Mink dropped a small pad of butter onto it, spreading it across the hot cast iron. "The coffee in the pot is fresh. The berries are done too."

"All right," Sei said, moving to Mink's elbow to take the bowl of cooling berries that sat there. They had all been dried earlier that year, but ever since Mink had noticed that Sei had developed a fondness for sweet things, Mink would always make a sauce for their hotcakes by heating them with a little water and honey.

With practiced familiarity, he placed the berries in the center of the cabin's small kitchen table and then moved to set places for both of them. It was a routine that they had settled into. Mink was an early riser. He'd wake before the dawn sometimes, starting the coffee pot, making preparations for breakfast. Sei would come into the kitchen later on, usually just as his work was nearing completion, and set the table for their meal. When they were finished, the dishes were Sei's responsibility. On the days when Mink worked he'd leave without much ceremony, and Sei would be left to fend for himself for lunch either by way of leftovers or his own gradually advancing skill in the kitchen. At first they had traded shifts on dinner, but more and more their evening meal was becoming an opportunity for Mink to expand Sei's knowledge of basic cooking as well as a chance for Sei to showcase the fruits of his diligent practice.

Today, however, Mink wouldn't be making his way to work. The heavy snowfall of the night before had left the roads into town covered. Even with the truck that Mink had bought shortly after their arrival, it would be risky. 

Today he'd have Mink entirely to himself.

The pancakes were done quickly enough. Mink carried them over, setting them down on the table before he seated himself with a sigh. With eyes closed and heads bowed, they both whispered their grace and thanks to the spirits of nature before the meal began. Sei took a smaller portion on his plate, watching Mink's motions carefully as he did, his legs swinging lightly under the table.

"You're off work today, aren't you?" he asked. Although the answer seemed obvious given their situation, Mink had ways of surprising him at times, so it was best to confirm.

"Yeah. The roads won't be clear yet."

"Mhm, I thought so," Sei said with a smile. "I thought it'd be nice to go outside for a little while today."

"Outside? In the snow?" Mink's voice took an incredulous tone. He let out a rough exhale that Sei had learned was a little bit like laughter, in a way. "You want to see how cold it is?"

"I do," Sei said. "I've never seen real snow before."

"That's true."

"So, if it's just for a little while, it won't be too bad, will it?"

"You shouldn't catch frostbite. But it's still..." Mink paused, his words trailing off. His mouth set in a line and he shook his head. "Just for a little while."

Content with his victory, Sei pursed his lips in a pleased grin, his legs kicking beneath his chair. "All right."

Despite their plans, the dishes still needed to be done and Mink never allowed Sei to leave his chores off until later. Plus there was the matter of the time it took for Sei to bundle himself up in all of the winter clothes that Mink had so graciously purchased for him. By the time that he was ready, wrapped in so many layers that only his eyes peeked out from under the cuff of his hat, it was nearly lunch time.

When Mink saw him, the corner of his lip twitched upward in amusement.

"You're all ready?" he asked. Sei wanted to pout, even though he knew that Mink wouldn't see it.

"You bought this all for me, didn't you?" he said instead, crossing his arms over his chest. The jacket he wore puffed out with the gesture, somewhat ruining its effect.

"It's to keep you warm. You'll see."

Only a few moments later, Sei understood all too well.

When he first stepped outside, the warmth from inside the cabin seemed to cling to his skin like a protective bubble. But with the first gust of wind it was quickly swept away, his eyes stinging with cold as he squinted against the searing white of the sun's light reflected against the snow. He brought one hand up to try to block it from his eyes, but it only did so much good. There was white as far as he could see. White cloaking the blurred lines of trees as tears stung at the corners of his eyes. White mounds rising and falling across the landscape where there had once been the dark skeletons of bushes and underbrush. It was beautiful.

As he stepped further away from the cabin he could hear the crunch of the snow under his feet. When he turned to look back, he saw the crooked edges of where his boots had broken through the crust that had formed on top, hiding the powdery depths below. Mink had followed along as well, but he turned now, walking around the perimeter of the cabin.

"Where are you going?" Sei asked.

"To get more firewood. We'll need to keep some inside so it can dry before we use it. I'll have to make sure the roof isn't letting air out as well."

Curious, Sei turned his gaze up to the roof of their little cabin. A thick blanket of snow rested over it, pristine and smooth. Their cabin was barely warm enough as it was during the nights, so letting any of that warmth escape did seem a waste. But still, in that area he trusted Mink's judgement. He wouldn't want to disturb him at his work. Instead, he turned back out to the forest that surrounded them, just in time to feel Huracan's weight settle against his shoulder.

"It would be best if we didn't venture out too far," the AllMate said, easily predicting Sei's thoughts.

Sei smiled against the fabric of his scarf. He nodded once. "Not too far. But that doesn't mean we can't go out at all."

"Very well," Huracan agreed.

With that, he set out into the woods.

-

The low hanging sun was already beginning to make its short descent by the time Mink came out to find him. Sei and Huracan had made their way as far as a small stream, where Sei watched the flow of rushing water beneath a clear sheet of ice. The pine trees nearby helped to shield some of the sun from his eyes, so it was a better place to relax.

Sei heard Mink's footsteps behind him as he approached. He listened as they crunched snow and leaves and twigs before stopping, a short distance away. Mink didn't speak. Sei wondered what he might be looking at, whether his gaze was drawn to the dark patterns the needles of the trees above them drew against the bright blue sky. Whether he was chasing memories with his gaze cast out and through the trunks of those very same trees, or whether he was watching Sei himself, watching the curve of his back as he sat at the stream's edge. Sei certainly had his guesses, but for the moment he didn't want to confirm them. Instead, he waited for Mink to speak. It was best to grant Mink his privacy, sometimes.

"How long do you plan on sitting there?" Mink said, a moment later.

Sei pushed himself up, suddenly more aware of the dampness that had soaked through his snow pants and the faint tingling of cold at the tips of his toes. He brushed his gloves against the slippery fabric as he stood, turning to face Mink.

"I was almost done. Do you want to head back inside?"

Mink sighed. "If we don't head in now you'll freeze your backside." His words were blunt, but there was a faint curl to the corner of his lip. Sei saw it and wondered if it was just the cold that made his cheeks feel flushed.

"It's all right. We can go back now."

Mink nodded, a noncommittal noise issuing from his lips before he held his hand out. He was wearing gloves, worn leather curling around every finger. Sei stepped forward, curling his mitten in Mink's hand and squeezed.

They made their way back to the cabin in a companionable silence. Even Huracan had nothing to contribute by way of conversation, but Sei didn't mind it. When they returned, the warm air of the cabin that greeted Sei when the stepped inside made him realize just how chilled his body was. He shivered despite himself, pulling away at his coat and pants, all too eager to get the wet clothing off. Once he was down to his shirt and long underwear, he heard the soft snort of Mink's laughter.

He looked up, lip pressed in a pout. "What is it?"

"You really got soaked," Mink said.

"It didn't feel that way when I was outside..." Sei protested, but he knew Mink was right. The entire backside of his pants were wet all the way to his skin. He could feel the chill setting in even though that they were back in the cabin.

"Of course you didn't," Mink went on. "Your body was numbed by the cold. You wouldn't have noticed. Go change into something dry. I'll get you a towel."

"I will," Sei agreed with no reluctance, although he didn't relent in pouting, just for show. 

He followed Mink down the hallway, turning off to his room as Mink continued on toward the linen cabinet by the bathroom. He left the door open just slightly as he started to strip out of his pants and long underwear. He found that even his boxers had soaked through, which left a strange sensation when he peeled them and his socks away. The cold had left swaths of red against his skin where the chill had set in. His toes were completely red and tingled with strang pinpricks of sensation when he wiggled them. The numbness was starting to fade.

He was so distracted by the newfound sensation, seated on the edge of his bed, watching as he spread and bent his toes, that he didn't notice Mink standing in the doorway until the other man spoke up.

"Can you feel them?"

Sei looked up and saw the concern written in the furrow of Mink's brow as the other man's gaze dropped to where his toes spread against the cold wood floor.

"A little," Sei said, "It's coming back, slowly."

Mink made a noise of assent at the back of his throat, taking Sei's word as an invitation to enter. He crossed the room in two broad steps, crouching in front of where Sei sat at the edge of the bed, setting the towel aside for the moment. He looked up, meeting Sei's gaze as he reached towards his left foot.

"May I?" he asked, and Sei nodded. He wasn't quite certain of what Mink had in mind, but he trusted the other man, and his curiosity had the better of him for the moment.

Mink nodded in reply. With careful hands, he moved his fingers against Sei's toes, curling and uncurling each one in turn, watching the color fade and return as his fingertips pressed against the damp skin.

"The skin feels normal. Your circulation seems fine," he said, quiet and determined before moving on to the other foot. "You probably just have frostnip. It's nothing serious."

"That's good to hear," Sei replied, wiggling his toes against Mink's hand. That earned him a half-laugh, a faint quirk to the corner of Mink's lips as the other man looked up at him. He smiled back, wiggling them again.

"You'll still want to dry off," Mink said, his hands leaving Sei's feet for a moment as he reached for the towel at his side. "Should I take care of that for you as well?"

"Please do," Sei said, curling his fingers against the edge of the bed. It might have been the attention, or perhaps the tenderness of Mink's touch coupled with the new sensation of cold against his skin. Either way, his current state of undress made his interest all the more apparent, his cock already starting to rise to attention before Mink even touched the towel to his skin.

It hardly escaped Mink's notice. His gaze lingered at the sight of Sei's member for a moment before flicking back up to his face. His lips curled, a low and throaty hum filling the air between them before he shifted to take one of Sei's feet in his toweled hands, brushing the fabric carefully against his damp skin.

He moved with slow strokes, lifting Sei's foot carefully in his palm as he drew the towel along the underside of his calf, over his shin. By the time he reached Sei's knee, he paused, leaning forward to drop a soft kiss to the inside of it before his attention shifted to the other foot.

Sei licked his lips, watching with flushed anticipation. The warmth that had settled low in his belly was starting to spread through his body, sparked on by the feeling of the heat of the towel and Mink's hands against the sensitive skin of his legs. As Mink dropped another kiss to his knee, Sei spread his legs further, inviting him to continue.

Mink huffed, an amused sound rising from his lips. "You're still damp here, aren't you?" he asked, his fingers stroking along the underside of Sei's thighs, up to where they met the edge of the bed.

"It's still a little wet. And cold," Sei said. He bit down on his lower lip lightly, drawing it between his teeth with a faint grin. "You're making it much warmer though."

Mink hummed. He drew his palms back along Sei's legs, spreading them just a little wider before he pulled them forward until Sei rested on the very edge of the bed, the head of his hardened cock level with Mink's gaze.

"It looks like there's something else that needs to be dealt with first." His hands swept back up until his broad palms curled around Sei's hips, his arms resting along the length of his legs. He swept his amber eyes over the length of Sei's body, looking up at him with a grin playing at his lips. "What should I do about that?"

Sei laughed, a breathless exhale, as he shifted, moving his hands to rest over Mink's wrists, holding the other man there as he looked down at him with a hooded gaze. "You could warm that up too," he purred, his voice soft and low.

"It's already warm there, isn't it?" Mink said. He leaned forward, kissing at the soft skin of Sei's thighs to either side of his cock, his hair only barely brushing the tip of Sei's erection as he did. "It feels pretty warm."

Sei squirmed against Mink's hands, trying to urge himself closer to Mink's mouth, to the breath that he could achingly feel against his flushed skin when the other man spoke. "A little more wouldn't hurt, would it?"

"I don't think that it would," Mink agreed, his lips finally tilting forward to close over the head of Sei's cock.

Sei sighed, letting out the breath he'd been holding on a low exhale. The heat of Mink's mouth around him was intoxicating. He shivered, sliding his arms along the taut skin of the other man's arms as Mink drew him in, swallowed him down until his lips kissed against the base of Sei's cock and the curl of hair there.

He could see just the faintest hint of gold underneath Mink's long lashes, could feel the deep exhale as Mink breathed in and out around him, taking in his scent, his essence. He swallowed, holding the moment in his gaze for as long as it lasted before Mink pulled back, his tongue pressed flat against Sei as he drew his lips tight around him.

His hips jerked with the motion, seeking warmth. A breathless moan escaped his lips. He could feel the rumble of Mink's laughter as his lips pulled over the head of Sei's cock.

"A little eager?" Mink asked. His gaze flicked up, catching sight of the flush on Sei's cheeks, his parted lips and half-lidded eyes.

Sei huffed, a short exhale escaping between the curve of his lips. "You gave me that much to start with," he said, curling his legs around Mink where he knelt before him, smoothing his feet against the warmth of his back and sides. "If I want that, it's fine, isn't it?"

"Mmh," Mink rumbled in agreement, and Sei felt it in more ways than one. 

He ducked his head, reaching up to curl his fingers in Mink's hair to draw him closer.

"I want more of you now," he whispered into the chilly room, pulling him down against his cock.

Mink's lips parted willingly around him, taking his length in again, sucking along it, curling his tongue against it. Sei's body curled as well, his head bobbing forward as his eyes slipped shut with an open-mouthed gasp. His fingers pulled tight against Mink's hair as Mink's head began to bob against his cock, drawing him in and out, steadily devouring him again and again.

He felt himself shiver at the edge of the bed each time Mink drew off him. The chill of the air in the room against his wet cock made him seek the warmth of Mink's mouth. If it weren't for the firm grip of Mink's hands at his hips, he wondered if he could have slipped off the bed entirely by now. Yet Mink kept him steady, kept him safe, holding him still as his lips and tongue worked tirelessly over Sei's cock.

The heat of Mink's mouth and the heat in his belly quickly coursed through his whole body. He could feel the skin of his arms and hands alight, the sweat standing out against his skin under his shirt. The patches of cold on his legs and feet felt like they had sparks dancing across them. Each shudder and shift that drew them against the rough sheets of the bed, against the firm heat of Mink's arms and back, lit those sparks into flames.

Incoherent, he came with a shuddering gasp deep into Mink's throat. It was only moments later that he could hear the sound of his gasping breaths, hear the pounding of his heart in his ears. When he opened his eyes, the world was a haze of deep browns and golds. He blinked to bring them into focus, and saw Mink's gaze fixed on his, felt Mink's hand against his cheek.

Slowly, careful, his arms still numb and loose with warmth, he reached up to rest his hand over Mink's, meeting his gaze.

"Are you all right?" Mink asked, not bothering to hide the hoarse edge to his voice.

Sei swallowed, finding his voice again, and nodded. "I'm not cold at all now."

Mink closed his eyes, shaking his head with a low chuckle that brought a smile to Sei's lips. Catching Mink's wrist, he slid back on the bed, pulling Mink with him. Mink moved with him easily, opening his eyes to look at Sei with one eyebrow quirked.

"Tired already?"

"It's been a long day," Sei said, letting himself fall back against the bed, both arms stretched up to Mink. "A little rest wouldn't hurt, right?"

Mink rose from the floor, his own arousal evident against the front of his jeans as he moved into Sei's embrace.

"How much rest do you plan on getting like this?" he asked, lying against the bed, drawing Sei into his arms, flush against his chest.

"Maybe enough to last all winter," Sei mused, his fingers trailing lightly along the muscles of Mink's chest, down against his sides and to the waist of his pants.

Mink made a low sound of consent and arousal against him, his gold eyes watching as Sei's hands went to work.

Neither of them rested very much, in the end, but when Sei laid his head against Mink's sweat-slicked shoulder with the heat of the pleasure they'd shared inside him and the warmth of Mink's arms around him, he wondered at how the chill of winter couldn't be so bad if he could ward it off like this.


End file.
